Heroin: Difference between revisions

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[[File:800px-Heroin-from-xtal-horizontal-3D-balls.png|thumb|Heroin

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Heroin is an ~~illegal drug that is classified as a "hard drug"~~. ~~It is also very addictive and is usually smuggled~~ in ~~secret compartments~~ in ~~Trucks or other vehicles~~. It is ~~very deadly and many users~~ of ~~heroin land up in hospital~~ and ~~can lead~~ to ~~serious circulatory problems. It gets into~~ the body ~~usually by injection and is made from opium~~.

Heroin is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid opioid] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analgesic analgesic] synthesized by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Romley_Alder_Wright C.R. Alder Wright] in 1874 by adding two acetyl groups to the molecule [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine morphine], found in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_poppy opium poppy]. It is the 3,6-[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetate diacetyl] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ester ester] of morphine, and functions as a morphine [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prodrug prodrug], meaning that it is metabolically converted to morphine inside the body in order for it to work.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-Sawynok_1986-4 [4]]

~~For more information click~~ [[wikipedia:Heroin~~|here~~]]

When used in medicine it is typically used to treat severe pain, such as that resulting from a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial_infarction heart attack] or a severe injury. The name "heroin" is only used when being discussed in its illegal form. When it is used in a medical environment, it is referred to as diamorphine. The white crystalline form considered "pure heroin" is usually the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrochloride hydrochloride] salt, diacetylmorphine hydrochloride.

Illicit heroin is usually in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_base freebase] form, dulling the sheen and consistency to a matte-white powder.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-5 [5]] Because of its lower [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_point boiling point], the freebase form of heroin is also smokable. It is prevalent in heroin coming from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan Afghanistan], which as of 2004 produced roughly 87% of the world supply in illicit [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_opium raw opium].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-UNODCSurvey-6 [6]] However, production in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico Mexico] has risen six times from 2007 to 2011, changing that percentage and placing Mexico as the second largest opium producer in the world.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-7 [7]]

Mexican cartels are also known to produce a third type of illicit heroin, commonly called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tar_heroin black tar], which results from a simplified, quicker [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_synthesis synthesis] procedure and contains a high percentage of morphine derivates other than heroin, such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6-Monoacetylmorphine 6-monoacetylmorphine] (6-MAM).

As with other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioids opioids], diacetylmorphine is used as both an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analgesic analgesic] and a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreational_drug recreational drug]. Frequent and regular administration is associated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_tolerance tolerance] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_dependence physical dependence]. Internationally, diacetylmorphine is controlled under Schedules I and IV of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-8 [8]] It is illegal to manufacture, possess, or sell diacetylmorphine without a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/License license] in almost every country.

Under the chemical names diamorphine and diacetylmorphine, heroin is a legally [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prescription_drug prescribed] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_drug controlled drug] in the United Kingdom, and is supplied in tablet or injectable form for the same indications as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine#Medical_uses morphine] is, often being preferred over morphine due to its lower side-effect profile. It is also available for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin_maintenance prescription to long-term users] as a form of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid_replacement_therapy opioid replacement therapy] in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark, alongside [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counseling psycho-social care]—in the same manner that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methadone methadone] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buprenorphine buprenorphine] are used in the United States or Canada[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-9 [9]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-10 [10]]—and a similar programme is being campaigned for by liberal political parties in Norway.

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 [[File:800px-Heroin-from-xtal-horizontal-3D-balls.png|thumb|Heroin
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-Heroin is an illegal drug that is classified as a "hard drug". It is also very addictive and is usually smuggled in secret compartments in Trucks or other vehicles. It is very deadly and many users of heroin land up in hospital and can lead to serious circulatory problems. It gets into the body usually by injection and is made from opium.
+Heroin is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid opioid] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analgesic analgesic] synthesized by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Romley_Alder_Wright C.R. Alder Wright] in 1874 by adding two acetyl groups to the molecule [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine morphine], found in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_poppy opium poppy]. It is the 3,6-[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetate diacetyl] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ester ester] of morphine, and functions as a morphine [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prodrug prodrug], meaning that it is metabolically converted to morphine inside the body in order for it to work.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Sawynok_1986_4-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-Sawynok_1986-4 [4]]</sup>
-For more information click [[wikipedia:Heroin|here]]
+When used in medicine it is typically used to treat severe pain, such as that resulting from a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial_infarction heart attack] or a severe injury. The name "heroin" is only used when being discussed in its illegal form. When it is used in a medical environment, it is referred to as diamorphine. The white crystalline form considered "pure heroin" is usually the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrochloride hydrochloride] salt, diacetylmorphine hydrochloride.
+Illicit heroin is usually in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_base freebase] form, dulling the sheen and consistency to a matte-white powder.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-5 [5]]</sup> Because of its lower [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_point boiling point], the freebase form of heroin is also smokable. It is prevalent in heroin coming from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan Afghanistan], which as of 2004 produced roughly 87% of the world supply in illicit [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_opium raw opium].<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-UNODCSurvey_6-0">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-UNODCSurvey-6 [6]]</sup> However, production in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico Mexico] has risen six times from 2007 to 2011, changing that percentage and placing Mexico as the second largest opium producer in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-7 [7]]</sup>
+Mexican cartels are also known to produce a third type of illicit heroin, commonly called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tar_heroin black tar], which results from a simplified, quicker [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_synthesis synthesis] procedure and contains a high percentage of morphine derivates other than heroin, such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6-Monoacetylmorphine 6-monoacetylmorphine] (6-MAM).
+As with other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioids opioids], diacetylmorphine is used as both an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analgesic analgesic] and a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreational_drug recreational drug]. Frequent and regular administration is associated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_tolerance tolerance] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_dependence physical dependence]. Internationally, diacetylmorphine is controlled under Schedules I and IV of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs].<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-8 [8]]</sup> It is illegal to manufacture, possess, or sell diacetylmorphine without a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/License license] in almost every country.
+Under the chemical names diamorphine and diacetylmorphine, heroin is a legally [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prescription_drug prescribed] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_drug controlled drug] in the United Kingdom, and is supplied in tablet or injectable form for the same indications as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine#Medical_uses morphine] is, often being preferred over morphine due to its lower side-effect profile. It is also available for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin_maintenance prescription to long-term users] as a form of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid_replacement_therapy opioid replacement therapy] in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark, alongside [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counseling psycho-social care]—in the same manner that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methadone methadone] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buprenorphine buprenorphine] are used in the United States or Canada<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-9 [9]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin#cite_note-10 [10]]</sup>—and a similar programme is being campaigned for by liberal political parties in Norway.
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